Photographic-plate washer



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK ROCIUVOOD HALL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

PHOTOGRAPHlC-PLATE WASHR.

sPnoImcATIoN forming part of Letters Patent No. e7,335, dated January 10, 1899.

Application filed October 20, 1897. Serial No. 655 758. o mod l.

To all whom t may cmwrn:

I Be it known that I, FRANK RooKwooD HALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Receptacles for Photographic Plates, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

In the process of developing a photographic plate the plate first is subjected to the action of the developer proper, which brings out the image, and subsequently is placed in a bath of a solution of sodium thiosulfate, (commonly termed the hypo,) which fixes the image all as well known to photographers. The rcceptacle in which the hypo is contained is oommonly a rectangular box, made of rubber or other suitable material or composition, having a breadth equal to one dimension of the plates'to be received by it and a length corresponding with the number of plates which it is intended to take and provided with vertical ribs upon the two faces between which the plates are to be held. The said ribbed faces are slightly farther apart than one of the dimensions of the plates in order that the plates may fit easily in the grooves between the ribs. As the plates successively 'come from the developer they are slipped into the grooves between the said ribs of the hypo-box, where they are held and completely exposed to the fixing action of the hypo. Such a hypo-box is subject to the serious disadvantage of aocommodating only one size of plate Professional photographers commonly handle large sizes of plates; but they are likely to receive smaller plates from amateurs who lack the time or skill for doing their own developing. Then, again, the amateur himself, as he progresses in skill, buys a more elaborate camera and uses larger plates, while he may still keep his small camera for occasional or tourist work. Consequently both the professional and the amateur are likely to have various sizes of plates, both large and small, to develop at the same time; but to provide as many hypo-boxes as would be required to accommodate so many sizes of plates would not only be a matter of large expense, but would cumber up the working portion of the dark room.

It is the object of my invention to produce a hypo-box of simple and durable Construction, capable of ready adjustment to accommodate various sizes of plates, and fitted to receive different sizes at the same time.

The invention first will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which represent the best embodiment thereof which I have yet contrived, after which the distinguishing characteristics thereof will be particularly ponted out and distinctly defined in the clains at the close of this specification.

In the drawings, Figure l is a vertical section of my hypo-box on the line l l of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a plan of the box with the partition and rack inserted and several plates in place. Fig. 3 is a face view of the partition. Fig. 4: is a face view of the rack. Fig. 5 is a crosssection of the rack.

In designing a box particularly for the use of amateurs, who com monly use a smaller box than professionals use, I give it a width of eightinches (and a trifle over) on the bottom inside, this being correct for the accommodation of the ordinary five-by-eight plate. I provide the two sides, which are eight inches apart, with ribs, as in the usual Construction. Instead, however, of making the box of a length sufficient to accommodate a dozen or so plates I introduce a new principle by making its length depend not upon the number of plates which may be accommodated, but upon the dimensions of plates of another size than five by eight. Preferably the size will be five by seven, inasmuch as five by Seven is a very common size of plate. Furthermore, I form ribs upon the end faces It will now be perceived that the value of the box has become doubled, for it is capable of accommodating either five by eight or five by seven plates at the option of the operator and therefore takes the place of the two boxes formerly necessary to those photographers who use both of the said sizes of plate. The box 1, as I have thus described it and as it is shown in the drawings, has the following dimensions: ltis a trifle over seven by eight inches IOG inside on the bottom and is aboutseven inches high. Thiis it will take five-by-eight plates arranged its long way or five-by-seven plates arranged its short way. The walls of the box are shown as llaring from the bottom upward to facilitat-e its withdrawal from the nold in which it is formed. On the inside of the bottom are formed ridges, on which the lower edge of each plate may rest, the plate being therefore held clear from any sediment or undissolved hypo which may be in the bottom of the box, and in addition a crculation of the hypo among the plates is thereby effected. I find a satisfactory form of ridges to comprise an annular part 2 in the middle of the box and four radial parts 3, -;L, 5, and G, extending from the said annular part to the middle of the respective sides of the box.

As before described, I form ribs on all four sides of the box, as at 20 21 22. The said ribs taper from the bottom Upward, th us leaving the grooves between them wider at the top than at the bottom. This extra width at the top not only facilitates the introduction of single plates, but permits a novel arrangement of plates in the hypo. In using small plates, the bottom edges of which will be supported some distance above the bottom of the box, (by the rack hereinafter described,) the edges of said plates will rest wholly in the wide upper portion of the grooves.. The said wide upper portion is specially designed to receive two plates back to back, as shown at 23, Fig. The ixing action of the hypo takes place wholly on the face of each plate, and therefore the contact of the backs of each pair of plates does not retard the fixation. On the other hand, it saves half the space heretofore thought necessary to be left between the plates and permits the introduction of twice the number of plates into a single box, doubling its Capacity.

The partition 7, Figs. 2 and 3, which is designed to fit into the grooves 011 the inner faces of the hypo-box in preparing the box for the reception of plates smaller than five by eight or five by seven measures eight inches on the side S, seven inches on the side E), and a little over eight and Seven inches, respectively, on the sides lO and ll-that is to say, it widens both from the eight-inch side and from the seven-inch side, the widening corresponding with the inside taper ofthe wallsof the box l and causing the partition to fit snug when introduced into the grooves on the walls. Thus the partition may be introduced with its seven-inch side down crosswise ot the box or with its eight-inch side down lengthwise of the box. Both faces of the partition are forned (see Fig. 3) with a set of grooves perpendicular to the eight-inch side and with a set of grooves perpendicular to the seven-inch side, the said sets of grooves intersecting each other at (approximately) right angles. Each two grooves of either set will therefore be separated not by a continuous ridge, but by a line of quadrilateral studs l2 1:2. The grooves all match the grooves on the interior faces of the box and coperate therewith. hen the partition is inserted in the box, no matter whether crosswise or lengthwise thereof, it will present a set oi' vertical grooves on each face, as shown in Fig. 2, which represents it as introduced crosswise of the box and supporting (to the right) small plates back to back in pairs. It Wlll be particularly observed that the remaining portion of the box (to the left) is still available for holding either five-by-seven plates, as at 14:, or smaller plates, as in dotted lines at 15. jfucts matands, the same arrangements are possible when the partition is placed lengthwise of the box. In either case the photographer need not interrupt the fixation of his five-by-seven or five-by-eight plates to fix smaller plates, but merely need insert or adjust the partition.

In accoinmodating two sets of small plates, one set on each side of the partition, it is desirable, as before intimated, to raise all the plates into an accessible position, and this result I accoinplish by introducing into the bottom of the box the rack 10, Figs. 2, a, and 5. This rack I preferably form rectangular or of a size to cover the entire bottom of the box and with two cross-bars 17 18. Each bar of the rack is wedge-sha-ped in cross-section. When inserted, the rack rests on the ridges 3 at 5 G, and upon it in turn rest the partition 7 and the plates the partition supports. V

The leading advantages of my improved hypo-box are found in the provisions for accommodating diiferent sizes of plates without adjustment, in those for effecting immediate adjustment to acconmodate other sizes in conj unction with either of such sizes, (and this without disturbing the plates already contained,) for compacting the inserted plates by arrangement in pairs and for rendering a single partition capable of bridging diiferent dimensions of the box, so as to afl'ord in either position a support for plates, for supporting small plates in the most favorable position, and for simplifying the equipment and facilitating the manipulation requisitc in the dark room.

hat I claim is- 1. A receptaele for plates of a length adapted to accommodate one size of plate and of a width adapted to accommodate another size of plate, and provided in teriorly with grooves, the said grooves being wider at the top of the box than at the bottom thereof, for the purposes and substantially as set forth.

2. In a receptacle for plates, the combination with an interiorly-grooved box, the width of which is different from the length thereof, of a novable partition having dimensions corresponding respectively with the said length and width respeetively of the box, and grooved in two directions, whercby said partition maybe placed either widthwise or lengthwise of the box and in either position will have grooves to receive and support a plate IOO IIO

eorresponding With the grooves on the opposite interier face of the box, substantiaiiy as set forth.

3. The eombination with a box having a plurality of grooves on all its interier walls to receive the edges of plates, of a movable parttion eorrespondingly grooved, and a Separate raek adapted to be placed in the bottom of said grooved boX to elevate small-size&

ro plates and to be removed from within the ineiosure of the grooved walls When large plates are to be aeeomnodated, substantiaily as described.

In testmony Whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK ROCKVVOOD HALL.

witnesses:

LEPINE HALL Rron, WILLIAM A. COPELAND. 

